It’s a great time to dust off that mixing bowl or bread maker and start baking. Of course, you don’t need to knead to enjoy home-cooked food. Use these convenient, cost-effective tips that also help you rack up nutrition points:

• Plan menus. Get out the ads and make a shopping list based on sales and seasonal produce. Then shop to make at least 4 dinners, with leftovers for another 2 or 3. Cut up veggies and shred cheese ahead of time, so you can just pull them out each night. Or plan a family brunch, where everyone helps with preparation.

• Get ideas. Flip through recipe books or websites for creative meals you can whip up easily. Involve the kids by having them pick their favorites.

• Use your slow cooker. Let this personal chef cook your entire meal while you’re gone so it’s ready to eat come supper time. Pop in a pork roast sprinkled with sea salt. Or make it a Mexican night with chicken, rice, and beans in an enchilada sauce, or go Italian with ground turkey, spinach, vegetables, and garlic in your favorite tomato sauce.

• Keep frozen standbys. Incorporating produce into your meals doesn’t have to be hard. Keep bags of frozen veggies on hand to toss into a rice dish or steam up for a healthy side — some even come in microwavable sacks so you can heat and serve in a flash.